1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cable lashing machines, and specifically to a device to lash a fiber optic cable to a supporting strand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices for lashing communications cable to a messenger or supporting strand are well known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,600 shows a cable lashing machine for helically spinning a lashing wire about an aerial cable and a supporting strand to bind the cable to the strand. A variation of the machine taught in this patent is the "Model `S` Pull Type Spinner" of Cable Spinning Equipment Company of Topeka, Kans. The prior art cable lashing machines are designed to lash cables composed of insulating material surrounding a conducting wire or wires. In general, the cable being lashed to the supporting strand is greater in diameter than the strand and, therefore, does not twist on the strand once secured to it.
The development of fiber optic cables for transmitting electrical impulses has necessitated improvement in the prior art cable lashing machines. Fiber optic cables are much more efficient than the previous wire conductor cables, and thus a fiber optic cable much smaller in diameter than a wire conductor cable can carry the same number of electrical impulses. In addition, fiber optic cable is much lighter than wire conductor cable.
The relative lightness and small diameter of fiber optic cable present substantial difficulties in using prior art cable lashing machines to secure the cable to a supporting strand which were designed for much heavier and larger wire conductor cable. Because of its relative smallness and lightness, the fiber optic cable tends to twist around the supporting strand when helically lashed by a prior art cable lashing machine. The twisting of fiber optic cable on the supporting strand damages the insulation on the fiber optic cable and thus reduces the cable's efficiency and impulse transmitting ability.
The present invention eliminates the problems associated with the twisting of a fiber optic cable on a supporting strand by eliminating the twisting itself. The damaging twisting of fiber optic cable caused by the prior art cable lashing machines is eliminated by the present invention which tensions the fiber optic cable as it passes through the cable lashing machine and is lashed to the supporting strand. The present invention provides a sufficient amount of tension to maintain the fiber optic cable coextensive relative to the supporting strand without twisting around on the strand.